1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to weight-lifting apparatus and a method of assembling the apparatus, and more particularly to fixed dumbbells and barbells and their assembly for use in light duty environments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fixed dumbbells and barbells are those in which the individual weights or heads cannot be added or subtracted by the user, but are permanently fixed to each end of a handle or bar. Fixed dumbbells and barbells have long been used in heavy duty environments such as health clubs, gyms, schools, and YMCAs. In recent years, a fast growing segment of the fitness industry has seen dumbbells and barbells used in light duty environments such as hotels, corporate fitness centers, personal training centers, homes and the like. The goal in assembling such weight-lifting equipment is to employ assembly techniques that coat the heads with a durable, pliable coating and still maintain the overall cost of the equipment used in light duty environments significantly less than the cost for equipment used in heavy environments.
Wilkerson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,806 discloses and claims a method of assembling barbells having heads covered with a pliable coating and filled with, for example, metal shot.
There is a need for more efficient and less costly methods for assembling dumbbells and barbells having coated heads than those presently taught in the prior art.